"I am really happy and excited to be here at Chelsea. It is an amazing feeling. I will try to do my best for this club. It is a new league for me, the beginning is always tough but I am sure the coach and my new team-mates will help me and I am looking forward to a great season."

Kovacic has struggled for game time at the Bernabeu due to Luka Modric and Toni Kroos being ahead of him in the midfield pecking and has had similar difficulties in securing a starting spot for his country due to the presence of Modric and Ivan Rakitic.

But the youngster has impressed when given the opportunity for both club and country and seems to be a good fit for a three-man Chelsea midfield alongside Jorginho and N'Golo Kante.

The deal for Kovacic comes as Thibaut Courtois travels in the opposite direction, leaving Chelsea to become Real Madrid's first-choice goalkeeper.